Reinforcing the belief that Gorica was a European Capital of Culture was also the opening ceremony with the presence of the president of the Italian Republic speaking alongside the president of the Slovenian Republic. Not to mention also the valuable work done by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region with so many financial resources made available and an outstanding cultural program especially on the Trieste-Gorizia axis.

So how many European capitals of culture are there? And what is the latest European capital of culture for Italy. There is no doubt. There are two European capitals of culture for 2025: Nova Gorica, for Slovenia, and Chemnitz, for Germany. And what is the last European capital of culture in Italy? It is certainly not Gorizia, but it is Matera, which in 2019 is after Bologna, Florence and Genoa.

It is true, however, that the extraordinary project put in place by Nova Gorica has to all intents and purposes involved the Italian city of Gorizia in its Bidbook called, not surprisingly, “Borderless.”

This is not to diminish Gorizia's role here, which, on the other hand, has an absolutely prominent role in the cultural program, but it is clear that the European Commission's programming cycle of European Capitals of Culture envisaged two countries that would indicate the capital: Germany and Slovenia. And not Italy, which will only have to indicate the European Capital of Culture in 2033, at the end of this programming cycle.

Supporting this reasoning is what was written in the evaluation panel that in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, just as the curtain was closing on Matera 2019 among the Slovenian cities that made the short list (Ljubljana, Nova Gorica, Piran and Ptuj) chose Nova Gorica thanks to a beautiful project that considered Nova Gorica and Gorica as a unique city. A very brave choice indeed because, two cities from two different countries, separated only by a wire mesh in the middle of a square, could become one.

So, Nova Gorica is the European Capital of Culture together with Gorica in the project and bidbook with a shared cultural program. But the title of European Capital of Culture was awarded to Nova Gorica.

In 39 years of program competition, it had never happened that a city incorporated another city from a different country in the title of European Capital of Culture. Or rather, many other capitals have tried to keep all the municipalities in their region inside the title, but never two cities inside the same name and program.

Then again, it is hard to find two other municipalities from two different countries sharing the same central square, separated only by a network. Hard to find other examples of coexistence, other stories like the one that characterizes the complicated border relationship between Slovenia and Italy.

This unprecedented circumstance did not fail to create some organizational, financial, management problems. But the opening ceremony showed that culture is also capable of breaking down borders and amplifying good relations between different countries and cultures that in peace share the same territory. A lesson in wisdom, in courage, in light of what is happening in the world, especially in Ukraine and Palestine. And an otypical wish that someday borders, whether geographical, economic, social, mental, may play a diminishing role in relations between people.

To support this reasoning here is below the rationale by which the evaluation panel in 2020 chose Nova Gorica as the European Capital of Culture in 2020.

Conclusion

The panel acknowledges the significant development of the central bid theme “GO! Borderless” along multiple dimensions since the pre-selection stage and considers it is now ready for translation into a compelling European narrative that explores borders and trans border life in communities around Europe. The theme of the bid has also been well transposed into the individual projects of the programme.

The bid is well rooted in the city’s specific political, cultural and geographical context and is integrated within the objectives of the joint cultural strategy developed with the bordering city of Gorizia in Italy. The participatory approach, with clear and relevant target groups and interesting initiatives around capacity building, are important assets of the bid. The capacity to deliver is overall strong, with political and financial support from the local, regional and national levels of governance. The chosen management structure is sound and embedded in the already existing European Grouping of Territorial Collaboration (EGTC) structure, experienced in delivering projects in both cities. The

ECoC plans can clearly contribute to regional and cross border cultural development as well as wider relevant European debates.

The Panel’s Decision

The panel was presented with four different bids from significantly diverse cities, including the national capital, and each with its own interpretations of the ECoC criteria. The bids tackled issues of great urgency for Europe and the world at large. All bids had both strengths and weaknesses. The panel was looking, according to Decision 445/2014/EU of the European Parliament and the Council, at the programme specifically designed for the ECoC year and with a strong European dimension.

After the presentations, the panel debated the merits of each city against the six criteria and then in the final discussion the applications were weighed up against each other.

Each panel member weighed his/her own interpretation of the criteria against the four cities with their bid-books, presentations, questions and answers, complemented by the feedback from the online city visits.

The panel, by voting, reached consent on a single candidate.

Accordingly, the panel recommends the Ministry of Culture to designate, as the 2025 European Capital of Culture in Slovenia, the city of Nova Gorica.

Designation

This report has been sent to the managing authority and the European Commission. Both will publish it on their websites. In accordance with Article 11 of the Decision, the Ministry will proceed to the designation of the ECoC 2025 in Slovenia based on the recommendation contained in this report. It will then inform the European Parliament, Council, Commission and Committee of the Regions. This formal designation enables Nova Gorica to use the title “European Capital of Culture 2025”.